# Accident 19990603006359A: Piper PA38112, Houston, TX, June 3, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 3, 1999, 17:30 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: May Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.7633° N, 95.3633° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Houston, TX, within about 14 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7633&lon=-95.3633&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4273E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4273E-2017-04-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 365 total, 25 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990603006359A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ON JUNE 3, 1999, AT 1730 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-38-112, N4273E, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING A GO-AROUND AT MAY FIELD, HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTURCTOR AND HIS STUDENT WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS LOCAL AREA INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM DAVID WAYNE HOOKS FIELD, SPRING, TEXAS, AT 1620. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE STUDENT WAS FLYING AND A CROSSWIND CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL. DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED HE HAD 365 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WITH 25 HOURS AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND 24 HOURS AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT. THE STUDENT REPORTED HE HAD 160 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WITH 17 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT AND 4 HOURS AS PILOT IN CO MMAND IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING STATION WAS AT DAVID WAYNE HOOKS FIELD, SPRING, TEXAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. WEATHER AT THE FACILITY AT 1753 INDICATED THE    WINDS WERE FROM 160 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS WITH NO GUSTS REPORTED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THE WINDS AT MAY FIELD WERE FROM 230 DEGREES AT 10 WITH GUSTS TO 20 AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE WEATHER STATION INDICATED THERE WERE SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET. THE LANDING WAS BEING MADE ON RUNWAY 17.                                    (-23)CONDUCTING SHORT FIELD LANDING, A WIND GUST LIFTED RIGHT WING.  AIRCRAFT DRIFTED OFF RUNWAY AND STRUCK A HEDGE ROW TURNING AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT.  SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN99LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA095), Jun 3, 1999: Piper PA-38-112 (N4273E), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: Inadequate remedial action by the pilot in command (CFI) after the student failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the final stages of a visual approach to land. Factors were gusting…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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